Be it known that at the annual landowners meeting of the Upper Enchanted Owners Road Association (UEORA) on May 25, 2019, a quorum of members discussed the CMP NECEC 145-mile proposed transmission line corridor project. The UEORA is made up of 50 private landowners where they enjoy their recreational land and camps in the area just west of the Spencer Road at Mile 4 in Upper Enchanted Township.
The discussion touched upon many points including property values of our lots should the corridor be approved which we would expect to decline. Fragmenting this contiguous wilderness land mass would lessen the recreational value and negatively impact wildlife and fishing habitat. This is the last stronghold of naturally spawning wild brook trout and home to a high concentration of Maine’s specially designated Heritage Ponds where they have thrived for thousands of years without ever being stocked. We feel that the industrialization and removal of natural vegetative canopy will cause this spawning cycle to decline while also negatively impacting mammals, birds and insects which are crucial for this unique cycle to thrive here.
We also discussed the lack of benefits to Maine ratepayers since Maine produces more energy than it uses. The project mostly benefits Central Maine Power / Avangrid / Iberdrola, a Spanish based company by way of staggering revenue while the company struggles dismally to take care of its primary customer – the Maine ratepayer. It was noted that this has been falsely reported to reduce greenhouse gasses, and that this has been flatly refuted by the Natural Resources Council of Maine and even the Massachusetts attorney general. Countless statements on this subject have been filed as sworn testimony and legal briefs with The Massachusetts Dept. of Public Utilities, Maine DEP, LUPC, and PUC as even the US Army Corps of engineers. The NECEC project would blaze a path from the international border where there is clearly an effective natural rugged mountainous border now. Reliance on a foreign country for something as important as electricity seems foolish and short sighted when we can sustain our own within our borders. Massachusetts chooses not to, and it is unacceptable to us to tarnish their neighbors to the north to satisfy a renewable standard they have established for themselves. NECEC would necessarily squelch any smaller renewable energy providers that are working to provide authentic renewable energy.
Maine’s brand is this kind of wilderness and there are few places like this place even in Maine. There is no admission fee or a booth like you may see in a state or national park or even the North Maine Woods, Inc – a collection of large corporations that own masses of land. Anyone can come here and experience the best of Maine. The members of the UEORA voted 23-0 against CMP’s NECEC project.
Kaleb Jacob, President
Upper Enchanted Owners Road Association
23 to ZILCH !!
I can’t wait for someone to comment that ALL these landowners are stupid…
Listen Up Maine Politicians,,
We Don’t Want This..!!!
YOU SHOULDN’T WANT THIS EITHER !!
50 owners, 23 votes, I wonder what the other 32 owners have to say on the matter.
Hrtlss: The other 32 owners are saying they are fed up with all of NECEC”s bull!!
Residents and landowners in unorganized territories in Somerset County OPPOSE the CMP corridor, but because they don’t have a local government structure, the County Commissioners are their ruling body. Unfortunately 3 of 5 commissioners are for the project, which means they are voting against the will of residents. The corridor route is losing support every day.
I’ve been spending a lot of my spare time up in that area and I’ve got to say that l have been awestruck by what l have experienced. There IS a wilderness up there that you’d be hard pressed to find elsewhere in this state.
The more l see the less l understand CMP’s claims of making sure that the area they’ve chosen to build their high powered transmission line is a excellent choice because its a “working forest.” I have to wonder how many CMP officials have been there and hiked those mountains and walked those back roads to see just what their high powered transmission line will destroy. And truthfully, l have to wonder how many people who condone cutting 53 miles of working forest land have taken the time to investigate just what will be lost.
Last weekend l hiked Mosquito Mountain which is located next to Moxie Pond. The vista was spectacular and would have been perfect except for one major flaw, the existing power line that runs along Moxie Pond. A power line that will be widened by 75 ft and doubled in height. Personally, l think enough is enough and l don’t buy into the fact that its alright to destroy 53 more miles of this recreational, working, forest for a company that will say and do anything to make a profit.
Let’s face it folks, the majority of the people located along and around CMP’s Corridor project just don’t want it. And if you condone the destruction of that area, at least go see what all the fuss is about. You just may change your mind.
In closing, as always, No Corridor.